Matosinhos becomes the first UN Resilience Hub in Portugal
The city joins the Province of Potenza (Italy) as the newest role models for the Making Cities Resilient 2030 initiative
Despite the tough year, the local government offers support with the adoption of a beefed-up budget
It began on 19 September and the world was transfixed for weeks on end after the Cumbre Vieja volcano on the Spanish Canary island of La Palma erupted and the resulting lava began swallowing farmland, buildings and roads. Thousands of people had to leave their homes, becoming something like natural disaster refugees while waiting for things to go back to normal.
Other events have already grabbed the headlines since then, but you might be still surprised to find out that the eruption is still very much on. In fact, that now makes it the longest such event in the recorded history of the small island, with records dating back 500 years ago.
This was confirmed by scientists working at the Spanish National Geographic Institute who are the pre-eminent experts on the subject. Given such a historical significance, it seems natural that everyone feels caught by surprise by the lava flow that refuses to stop.
"People are fed up. As a local Palmero I took a break and went to Madrid to get some air," Juan Ernesto Pérez, 57, of the Los Llanos de Aridane community told Reuters.
The exasperation felt by the people, however, is more reflective of their own understanding that bad events have a beginning and an ending and then the recovery work begins and that’s that. However, nature has shown that the environment isn’t something that we can always manage and move on.
Recovery on the island is thus a word loaded with even more urgency than it is in the rest of Europe. The island government (Cabildo de La Palma) in response has offered a metaphorical breath of air with its announcement at the end of last week that it had adopted next year’s budget.
Apart from the implied message that life still goes on as before, the breakdown of the economic document shows that the authorities are ready to help the residents by minimizing their socio-economic sufferings.
Next year’s island budget will be 43.7% larger than the previous one, which in absolute terms means an increase of almost 55 million euros, for a total of nearly 180 million euros. A third of the budget will go to social welfare and taking care of the affected residents, and another third will be funneled into recovery public works, which will stimulate job creation.
The facility called, Alovera Beach, will be located 40 kms from Madrid
The move is part of the city’s strategy to act against the local affordable-housing crisis by focusing on the development of student accommodation
Peace and quiet in Baroque surroundings
Tallinn and Linz will be among the European cities eager to show their innovative side
According to the Eurostat report, women are significantly more educated than men in the EU
The Irish Environment Protection Agency released an updated map of affected regions in the country
It involves strategically placed pictograms on the pedestrian crossings
Never too early to fall in love with soft mobility
100 trees will take the place of 100 parking spaces in this Belgian town
The facility called, Alovera Beach, will be located 40 kms from Madrid
According to the Eurostat report, women are significantly more educated than men in the EU
It involves strategically placed pictograms on the pedestrian crossings
These will be spread across 11 EU countries and will serve to support the EU Missions
The European Commission has accepted to develop the idea
An interview about AYR, one of the 2021 New European Bauhaus Prize winners
An interview with Nigel Jollands and Sue Goeransson from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
An interview with the President of the City of Athens Reception & Solidarity Centre
A talk with the Mayor of Malmö on the occasion of the city’s UN Resilience Hub status